Ganglion or Bible Cyst

Ganglion is a swelling that often appears on or around joints and tendons in the hand or foot.

It is a sac-like swelling or cyst formed from the tissue that lines a joint or tendon. The tissue, called synovium, normally functions to produce lubricating fluid for these areas. A ganglion is a cyst formed by the synovium that is filled with a thick jelly-like fluid.

In this computerized world, many people suffer from this condition as they work more on keyboard with their wrists. Young women are affected more. It also occurs commonly in the second and third decades of life, but can occur at any age. Its occurrence can be sudden or slow. It is variable in the size. It can form around any joint, but they are most frequently found in the wrist and ankles. They are usually painless and often barely visible as localized swellings. The largest ganglions form behind the back of the knee, causing a sense of fullness or tightness. A ganglion here is referred to as a Baker cyst.

In conventional treatment the medicines are given where there is pain, difficulty in movement, numbness and so on or it is simply kept under observation.

In cases where there is pain and difficulty in movement, the following procedures are done :

Aspiration : In this the contents of the ganglion are aspirated under local anesthesia. The common complications to this procedure are neurological pain, numbness, allergic skin disorders, discoloration and recurrence of the ganglion.

Surgical removal : The surgical removal also cannot guarantee complete or long lasting cure. Recurrence is very common. Complications of surgery are injury to nerves, scar, restricted movement or stiffness, injury to the arteries, tendons or joints which lie nearby.

In contrast homoeopathy can treat tumors (ganglion) with natural medicines only. The treatment can help you avoid the surgeon’s knife.

The remedies are prescribed after taking the complete details of the symptoms of disease and the patient which includes personal details, family details, and mental state of the patient thus knowing the complete personality of a patient.

Homoeopathy is a better alternative to conventional treatment for the following reasons:

The medicines can treat ganglion without the painful procedures like aspiration and surgery.

It is a non surgical, scar less means of resolving ganglion or bible cyst.

The treatment can save you from a surgeon’s knife.

Recurrences are not seen as the homoeopathy treatment is internal and not local.

Homoeopathic remedies are recommended for all age groups and it helps you go on with your daily work.

Homeopathic treatment should be continued for at least 2-5 months after the problem is resolved to avoid recurrences of the condition.

There are 37 remedies which give great relief in ganglion or bible cyst. However, the correct choice and the resulting relief is a matter of experience and right judgment on the part of the homoeopathy doctor. The treatment is decided after thorough case taking of the patient. Thus medicines are tailor made unlike conventional treatment in which all patients receive the same surgery or drugs although trade name may be different.

Causes:-

The exact cause of ganglion is unknown. The various theories suggest that :

A previous trauma / fracture of the wrist may cause a ganglion.

Using the wrist more like in tennis players, computer operators, table tennis players and so on may result in the formation of a ganglion cyst.

Arthritis sufferers like rheumatoid arthritis, gout and so on may suffer with a ganglion cyst.

Recurrences are very common.

Symptoms

The ganglion cyst usually appears as a bump (mass) that changes size. It may have a size of a peanut or as large as a golf ball.

Thirty five percent are without symptoms, except for appearance. Most ganglion cysts cause some degree of pain, usually following acute or repetitive trauma. The pain is usually nonstop aching, and made worse by joint motion.

It is usually soft, anywhere from 1-3 cm in diameter (about 0.4-1.2 inches) and doesn’t move.

There may be numbness of the fingers when the corresponding supplying artery gets compressed.

They may increase in size gradually.

Diagnosis:-

A physical examination is often all that is needed to diagnose a ganglion cyst. Usually no investigations are required since it is clearly visualized in the wrist or any other joint.